The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a report to President Donald Trump on the financial regulatory system, which detailed executive actions and administrative changes that are needed to provide regulatory relief.
Among the key findings, it said capital, liquidity and leverage rules can be simplified to increase the flow of credit. It also found that regulations need to be better tailored, more efficient, and effective. The report additionally said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau must be reformed, and that Congress should review the organization and mandates of the independent banking regulators to improve accountability.
It also added that it is important to ensure U.S. banks are globally competitive, improving market liquidity is essential for the U.S. economy, and community financial institutions – banks and credit unions – are critically important to serve many Americans.
“Properly structuring regulation of the U.S. financial system is critical to achieve the administration’s goal of sustained economic growth and to create opportunities for all Americans to benefit from a stronger economy,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. “We are focused on encouraging a market environment where consumers have more choices, access to capital and safe loan products – while ensuring taxpayer-funded bailouts are truly a thing of the past.”
Mnuchin and other Treasury officials met with hundreds of stakeholders across the financial ecosystem over the past four months, including community, independent, regional and large banks, regulators, FSOC members, consumer advocates, academics, analysts and investors. These essions provided a clear picture of redundancy, fragmentation, and inefficiency in our regulatory framework.
“We congratulate the House on passing the Financial CHOICE Act,” Mnuchin said. “The report we are releasing today focuses on solutions the Executive Branch can execute through regulatory changes and executive actions. We look forward to working on a parallel track with Congress to provide swift relief, particularly to community banks.”
The Treasury and the Trump Administration will begin working with Congress, independent regulators, the financial industry, and trade groups to implement the recommendations advocated in the report through changes to statutes, regulations and supervisory guidance.
The effort drew widespread praise from industry groups.
“Clear market rules and prudent capital standards can provide investor confidence and financial stability necessary for robust markets, capital formation and economic growth,” Kenneth Bentsen, Jr., Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association president and CEO, said. “But redundant and conflicting rules or measures that unnecessarily outweigh stability over investment can result in inefficient regulation and stifle our growth potential. Given the multitude of regulatory initiatives over the last decade alone, notwithstanding the decades prior, the time for a comprehensive review is due and we look forward to reviewing the Treasury’s report.”
Consumer Bankers Association President and CEO Richard Hunt applauded the proposed reforms of the CFPB.
“CBA believes a bipartisan commission at the Bureau is paramount to creating long-term stability and certainty for the industry,” Hunt said.
Financial Service Roundtable CEO Tim Pawlenty called it an important step towards modernizing the financial regulatory system in a way that economic growth and consumer protection are advanced.
“Following the recent community banker meetings at the White House and Treasury Department and amid ongoing efforts by Congress to address community bank overregulation, we have an opportunity to advance substantial reforms that will increase community-based lending and promote a more robust economic recovery,” Camden Fine, president and CEO of the Independent Community Bankers of America, said.